


On New Year's Day

by triumphforks



Category: Inazuma Eleven, Inazuma Eleven: Ares no Tenbin, Inazuma Eleven: Orion no Kokuin
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2019-09-21
Packaged: 2020-10-25 03:48:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20717606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/triumphforks/pseuds/triumphforks
Summary: Midorikawa goes off in search of Hiroto on his 18th birthday.





	On New Year's Day

It was  _ freezing.  _ And it was  _ so like Hiroto  _ to be out hiding somewhere on a day like this, with gloomy sky and the threat of snow, when any sane person would be inside where it was  _ warm.  _ But if he walked fast, Midorikawa reasoned, the cold wouldn’t be able to catch him - so he went, with purpose, pushing right through anything on the garden paths that happened to get in his way. If he kept up with the pace, he reasoned, it wouldn’t take him long to find Hiroto - and it didn’t. There were only so many places to hide on a day as icy as today, even for someone as careless about their safety as Hiroto. And while it was a far more obvious spot than the boy’s usual haunts, Midorikawa had a hunch he’d find the other boy at the property’s hot spring. 

_ Of course the Kiras have a private hot spring,  _ he thought to himself, as the open-aired structure (more a set of legs and a roof than a building) came in to view. It wasn’t even the only one! 

As he got closer he could hear the sound of water, rushing, accompanied by the soft  _ swish  _ of wind pushing dried leaves across the stone pavement. And he could see Hiroto, hunched over at the water’s edge, shoes and socks tossed carelessly beside him, feet fully submerged in the steaming water. Hiroto didn’t look up as he approached. His eyes were fixed on the water, and he was frowning, as though there was something offensive by the way it swirled around his feet. He was completely oblivious. So Midorikawa kicked off his own shoes, quietly, crept in closer, silently, and when he was close enough, began to recite;

“ _ On New Year’s Day; _

_ Each thought a loneliness; _

_ As Winter dusk descends. _ ”

Despite the dreary words, he spoke lightly; settling himself down close next to Hiroto, worming an arm to hook around the gloomier boy’s. 

“It’s still morning?”, Hiroto replied, his words tinted with mild confusion. He didn’t look up, or add anything more than that; but he did shuffle over to make more space at the water’s edge. 

“It’s not New Year’s Day anymore, either.” It was too cold to be so far apart - so he moved to close as much of that space as he could. “Happy Birthday!” His voice was bright, and he nudged the other boy’s shoulder, leaning in to get a look at his expression. What he got was a brief moment of surprise, as those purple eyes darted up to meet his own.

“Who told you?” 

“Tatsuya.” Hiroto’s expression darkened, and his eyes went back to glaring at the water.

“I’m going to kill him.”

“Don’t do that! You’d regret it.” He smiled as he spoke, and he made extra sure to keep his voice bright - trying to tempt a smile (or  _ something _ ) from the other boy. But he just kept staring in to the water, sullen expression and all. It was Midorikawa’s turn to frown. He’d been sure this quiet, withdrawn Hiroto was something of the past. He still remembered how he was in middle school; violent outbursts, and long stretches of isolation. Lashing out at anyone who dared try to approach him, on the rare occasions he turned up to school at all.

But that had changed (or so he’d thought). He’d grown out of his own angst, and shown himself to be curious, and outspoken, proactive and talkative and  _ involved _ \- that was the real Hiroto (he was sure of it!). There were still moments of quiet, of course. Just shorter, and briefer, and far better hidden.  _ But we all have times like that,  _ Midorikawa had reasoned. And even still, it was different to the unsociable Hiroto of before, who had wanted them all to know he was  _ just fine  _ without them.

Today felt different. 

Today’s Hiroto was closed. He kept leaning away, even though he was usually so touchy. His face barely changed, even though he was usually so expressive. And his voice sounded tired… tired enough to make Midorikawa wonder just how long he’d been out here. 

It didn’t sit well with him. He felt tight and anxious, gripping Hiroto’s arm, with a little voice in his head that said not to push it, and overstep his boundaries.  _ But I want to push it.  _ Just a little would be fine, right?

“What do you want?” He was direct, not tentative at all, and as soon as the words were out he scolded himself for being so careless.    
“For what?” Hiroto looked up at him, but he couldn’t tell if it was from shock or irritation.

“For your birthday.” His tone was more careful now. The look shook him, making him tense up, but he pushed on anyway. Hiroto’s eyes darted away, this time going to the far shore instead of the water. He seemed more… pensive this time, and Midorikawa risked snaking his hand down the other boy’s arm, brushing his fingers against his palm. It was a bold move, he thought, and it paid off - Hiroto took hold of his hand, without hesitation.

“Nothing,” Hiroto said quietly. He couldn’t help it - he scoffed.

“Surely you want  _ something _ .”

“I don’t!” There was a splash of moving water, as Hiroto nudged him with his knee, almost in warning. Emboldened now, he chose to ignore it.

“Do you want to go out then?” His tone demanded an answer, and he went to nudge him back; just to make sure Hiroto got the message. 

“Oi!” Hiroto dodged - or tried to. It wasn’t the easiest for him, being sat next to  _ and  _ holding on to his attacker. And maybe… Midorikawa had been a bit more aggressive about his retaliation than he’d intended to be. He got in a solid kick, and in the process splashed water (at first hot, but shockingly cold once it was let to sit in the air) all over the both of them. 

Hiroto pulled his hand away, to push his hair (sodden, dripping) from his face. He watched, carefully, unconsciously holding his breath, hoping the other boy wasn’t too mad. But as all that hair was pushed back, he was glad to see that he was grinning; not just that, his eyes were more alive now too, more like they were  _ actually seeing,  _ and not just for the empty stares of before. He let his breath go, and nudged Hiroto again. More gently, this time. 

“What do you  _ want?” _ He repeated, sing-song, teasing. 

“ _ Nothing,” _ came the same reply - this time with Hiroto leaning in, a soft headbutt, and a smile. “Why do I have to want something anyway?”

“It’s your birthday,” he answered sharply. Why wouldn’t he want something? It was the one day of the year you were  _ allowed  _ to be selfish. To be special. He couldn’t-

The thought was interrupted, as Hiroto moved in close, wrapping their arms together again, taking hold of his hand once more. And this time he went further, resting his head on his shoulder. The water around their legs settled, but Midorikawa’s heart was doing anything but.

“I want to be with you.” He couldn’t see his face, but his voice was quiet, and soft.  _ Too soft. _

“Is that all?” Their brief scuffle before had washed away his anxiety - but somehow, he could feel it creeping back. He’d barely had time to relax before his body tightened again, and he felt somehow compelled to sit both still and straight, and causing as little disturbance as possible.

“Yeah.” And there it was - Hiroto’s voice sounding far away again. This time he didn’t push it. It wasn’t as closed as before, just… distant.

A silence - or more, a quiet - fell. Slowly, different kinds of sounds began to creep in; first the water, then the birds, and then the soft rustle of leaves. Hiroto still had hold of his hand, idly playing with his fingers, but never fully letting go. The longer the quiet moved on, slowly, gradually, the more relaxed he began to feel. He let himself breathe more freely, and to stop being so tense, and to just enjoy this small piece of quiet, deep in the Kira house’s garden.

Maybe (just  _ maybe _ ), Hiroto was right. This (and not anything material) was enough. 

**Author's Note:**

> The poem Midorikawa recites is "On New Year's Day" by Matsuo Basho.


End file.
